A big thank you to the choirs and their directors who gave their time both on Saturday for the rehearsal and on Sunday coming early and providing such a vibrant experience.

Church choirs represented -

• Church of the Saviour, Cleveland Heights, Judith Higbee, director

• First Lutheran Church, Lorain, Brian Wentzel, director

• Messiah Lutheran Church, Westlake, David Gooding, , director

• Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Westlake, Ian Faleer, director

• East Shore Church United Methodist, Euclid, Sarah Dixon, director

• Fairmount Presbyterian Church, Robert Moncrief, director

• The Federated Church, Chagrin Falls, Marcia Snavely, director

• St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Medina, Roberta Stamper, director

• St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Chesterland, Hildred Tornberg, director

• United Methodist Church of Macedonia, James Storry, director

More photos of the hymn festival can be found here.  Photos from the hymn playing class can be found here. 

Brian Wentzel and the youngest chorister

Max Bunker attended  the Hymn Festival weekend and reports that he is back to his church responsibilities following his mild heart attack. Don Shultzaberger assisted with the Directory mailing a couple of weeks ago and is continuing to improve following his recent stroke.

Congratulations to Brian Wentzel on his first published composition now available from Augsburg Fortress. "The Day of Resurrection" is an SAB Easter anthem with the familiar John Mason Neale text set to a rhythmic version of HERZLICH TUT MICH ERFREUEN. Brian writes "I wrote it to be an easy piece for the Sunday after Easter - it doesn't take much rehearsal!" He also will have two short pieces included in Augsburg's Music Sourcebook, to be published soon and a Christmas anthem (SAB arrangement of the wonderful Asian hymn "Midnight Stars Make Bright the Skies", ELW #280) that should come out in Augsburg's Advent/Christmas batch this coming winter.

The Hymn Festival titled "Songs of Praise and Thanksgiving" conceived, directed and performed by John Ferguson began without announcement with a single voice (Brian Wentzel) in the back of the Sanctuary singing the African song "Uyaimose". As he processed up the aisle he was joined by percussion instruments and gradually by more voices. Tony Bianchi read the afternoons "Reflections" which were interspersed between the hymns. The first hymn "Many and Great" was sung in unison without organ with a simple introduction by flute and percussion. Many of the settings of the hymns were beautiful in their simplicity. Organists and worship leaders think, "I could to that!". Other settings were dynamic with virtuosic organ accompaniment. Handbells were used throughout the service, often rung randomly, as in the introduction to the hymn "All Creatures of Our God and King." The random bell ringing was  followed by voices piling up "Alleluias" and finally brass and organ joining for a rousing crescendo leading to the first verse of the hymn. Similarly in "Let All Mortal Flesh keep Silence" in addition to random bell ring, part of the choir kept up a drone hum throughout. The hymns were varied by instructions for verses for "men", "women", "choir" or "organ". A humorous touch was given to the organ verse of "Earth and All Star!" when the "Stars and Stripes Forever" theme interrupted the  tune. Another bit of Ferguson humor broke out in the introduction to "In a Lowly Manger Born" featuring xylophone, flute and whistling from the choir.

The gallery choir was featured in the lively Andre Thomas arrangement of "Walk in the Light". Meg Matuska was the accompanist for the gospel piece. Later in the service they sang Ferguson's lovely arrangement of "Jesus Loves Me". The center of the hymn sing was a journey through the church year. We all sang the carol "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing" introduced by more bells and the choirs singing "Gloria" from "Angels We Have Heard on High". The Chancel Choir, directed by Brian Wentzel, sang the Holy Week anthem "Lamb of God" by F. Melius Christiansen. We all sang "Jesus Christ Is Risen Today" introduced by John Ferguson's own "Easter Introit". One of the most creative moments of the Festival was the reading of the story of Noah from the Bible to an improvised musical accompaniment. The organ supplied a musical depiction of God's displeasure, building of the ark and the tumult of the waters followed by the quiet ascent of the dove. I wonder how many caught the bit of musical depiction in the hymn "My Hope is Built on Nothing Less". In the text that reads "when all support are washed away", the organ literally stopped, removing all "support" from the singers. More tone painting was heard in the organ verse of the hymn "A Mighty Fortress". Low dissonant buzzy reeds were used for the text "Though hordes of devils fill the land". The afternoon ended with the evening hymn "God, Who Made the Earth and Heaven". Many of the hymns were sung entirely in unison with only the melody line printed in the program. Only two hymns were specifically listed for harmony singing. It seemed a shame with this large congregation of singers not to have more part singing. A small quibble, however, with a glorious event presented by one of our foremost champions of hymn singing in America.

            Next update- some notes from the hymn class.

Fern Jennings